A 34-year-old Danville man was arrested on weapons charges after allegedly discharging a firearm near a local church Wednesday, the shot bringing police on the run and leading to the eventual discovery of a small cache of illegal weapons.
Police received a report of a shot being fired in the area of the East Bay Foursquare Church in Danville, 2615 Camino Tassajara, at around 7:20 p.m., officers fanning out to search adjacent businesses and a nearby park after it was determined that at least one car had been hit in a nearby parking lot.
Officers searching the church grounds encountered a man who identified himself as a security guard for the church and who reportedly told them he had accidentally discharged a weapon of undetermined type. A search of the building turned up two AR-15 rifles with accompanying 30 round magazines in the man’s living area.
Investigators said the man, identified as Benjamin Ericson, 34, was being allowed to stay at the church and acted as security there but was not officially employed as a security guard.
Ericson was arrested for possessing an illegal firearm and possession of high capacity magazines.
No one was reported injured during the incident.
What kind of guns are we talking about here?
Lethal
The guns were in the church?
Trying to confirm where exactly they were found as well as their type, Kenny…
Nothing says Happy Thanksgiving quite like small arms fire.
That’s not good.
That’s a little too close to home.
Rifles? What’s he expecting? Some sort zombie apocalypse?
Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition!
Okay, good one!
1. There is no mention of what gun was “miss fired”, so why the mention of AR15s? I have my ideas.
2. legally acquired 30 round mags are not illegal, yet. More anti-gun talk to those who don’t know better.
3. What cache of illegal weapons are we talking about? No mention of any types, makes or calibers.
4. This story reeks of scare tactics.
5. I really do not like these stories that are created to cause fear in those who don’t know better.
There were many statements made in this story with little to no facts. This is the stuff that creates FUD. The media large and small LOVE to mention AR15 as if it’s this evil weapon that the miliary supplied to us citizens. It’s absolute rubbish.
Good night…A life long gun owner and resident of Danville.
Good night.
@dan the lifelong gun owner — from another lifelong gun owner
So nomenclature aside how do you feel about weapons (of any type) in a church; a security guard or watchman or whatever this guy is FIRING one of those weapons (accidentally or not) and hitting a car with the stray?
The car that was hit had a driver. That driver could have lost his life. The shooter shined a light on the car and then shot at it. That sounds like attempted murder to me. There are no scare tactics in this story. Hopefully this case will be pursued.
Thank you for the additional info, Kathleen… and for writing us.